s and
make plans of them. How they crept up close to the fort and captured a
vedette within two gun-shots of the gate. How they hauled whaleboats
over a mountain, embarked at the lower end of Lake Champlain, rowed down
the lake at night, and after hiding in the daytime, attacked the enemy's
boats, and sunk them.

He told of an expedition he made the previous January, with Captain
Spikeman, Lieutenant John Stark and seventy-four men.

"We went down Lake George on skates, and then through the woods back of
Fort Ticonderoga on snowshoes. When we got to Lake Champlain, we lay in
wait for the enemy's sleds, which were coming up the lake loaded with
provisions. We captured three sleds and seven prisoners, but some of the
French escaped. We learned that the fort had been reenforced, and knew
that they would have notice of our presence. Our guns were wet, for it
had been raining, and we went back to our fires and dried them. Then we
marched hastily toward Fort William Henry. About noon we were waylaid by
a large party of the enemy. We fought all the afternoon, till nightfall,
when we separated and escaped through the woods to Lake George. I
received two wounds in the fight. I sent messengers to the fort for
help, for many could go no further. Forty-eight of us out of
seventy-four got back with our prisoners. You may think, friends, that
this was a bad defeat, but we learned afterward that we fought against
two hundred and fifty men, and killed one hundred and sixteen of them.
Your old friend Captain Spikeman was killed in the fight."

[Sidenote: A SUCCESSFUL DEFEAT]

The bowls of flip had been going round while Rogers was talking, and
finally Matthew Mead said:--

"Well, neighbours, I think we are getting toward the state where
neighbour John was when I came, and we'd better all go home."

As we rose, Rogers said: "I want some of you fellows with me this coming
campaign, and we'll make things lively for the French up around Fort Ti
and have some fun. I count on you, Comee."

CHAPTER VIII

BEN AND AMOS JOIN ROGERS'S RANGERS AND MARCH TO THE WEST

A few days after this Amos and I went up to Concord and enlisted in the
Rangers. We had no showy uniform. Our clothes were of strong homespun of
a dull colour that would not attract attention in the woods. We brought
our own guns, and they gave each of us a blanket, a greatcoat, a
hatchet, and a wooden bottle in which to carry our drink. We were also
given rackets and